Inaugural award for Radford
Long-serving community volunteer Dianne Radford won the inaugural Ararat Ambassador Award on Australia Day.
Mayor Paul Hooper said it was fitting to present the first award to someone who had devoted the best part of her life to making Ararat and the surrounding communities a better place.
“This year’s Australia Day Awards were an opportunity for Ararat Rural City Council to acknowledge people who put back into our community every day, working tirelessly behind the scenes to achieve great outcomes,” he said.
“Dianne’s achievements are many. She was an integral member of the team that oversaw the redevelopment of East Grampians Health Service to the state-of-the-art facility it is today.
“She also has great passion for Ararat’s youth, working with VCAL students over the years and co-ordinating annual Anzac visits to the Shrine of Remembrance for the region’s secondary students as part of Ararat Legacy, which also sees her caring for widows of departed war veterans.”
Mrs Radford also established a Women, Wisdom and Wellbeing dinner, an annual get-together for women of the region and co-ordinated the establishment of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch. In 2016 alone, she worked on the Grampians Ride to Remember, 50th anniversary celebration of the Laurel clubs, Blue Ribbon Gala Night, Ararat Legacy House opening, AME Systems and Ararat Legacy Memorial Gardens project, Legacy Junior Public Speaking Awards, AME’S Women’s Wellbeing Weekend and a major two-day event for AME Systems.
“The time and effort she contributes to all the projects she is involved in is a testament to the patience and support of her wonderful family and close friends,” Cr Hooper said.
Ararat Outdoor Olympic Pool committee won the municipality’s Community Spirit Award.
“The Community Spirit Award recognises an individual, group or organisation that has made a significant and ongoing voluntary contribution within our municipality and for the Ararat Outdoor Olympic Pool Committee, this has been the case for the past five years,” Cr Hooper said.
Personal trainer Kelli Felini won the Inspired Healthy Living Award.
“Kelli’s passion, dedication and drive to improve not only the physical health, but mental health of people from all walks of life in Ararat Rural City is outstanding,” Cr Hooper said.
“Her promotion of health and wellbeing extends beyond purely a fitness focus, because she has become an active fundraiser for women’s cancers.”
Father Andrew Hayes and Manzoor A Mian Jp shared this year’s Multicultural Harmony Award.
“This recognises a joint collaboration between two Ararat religious groups determined to not only tolerate each other, but to work together to ensure people of all race, colour or religious creed feel included in our society,” Cr Hooper said.
“Father Hayes and Manzoor A Mian Jp have led this movement which has seen a strong friendship formed between Ararat Christians and Muslims, and seen many social events and meals together in Ararat and Melbourne.”